The present invention relates to a shoulder harness and lifting strap apparatus suited to allow two or more workers to lift large, heavy appliances and the like and/or to enable a single worker to lift a large mattress and the like.
Inventions which enable two men to more easily lift and carry heavy objects such as refrigerators, stoves, washer/dryers, large loaded crates and the like, are known in the art. Common construction being such that the weight is suspended from the workers"" shoulders, leaving their arms and hands free to steady the load. A strap or straps is suspended between each worker""s shoulder harness, wherein the strap carries the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,780 (1947) to Theal discloses a two-person lifting apparatus having a shoulder harness for each worker. Each shoulder harness pins the worker""s arms against his ribs while the load is carried by a strap assembly which is suspended between them. The pinning of the worker""s arms reduces the efficiency of the worker and increases the risk of accidents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,349 (1991) to Eide et al. discloses an improved shoulder harness for supporting a pair of straps that carry a load. The harness permits free arm movement. The two straps required each have metal hoops at each end. The hoops hook onto hooks which are suspended from the shoulder harness. The hoops prevent the sliding of the strap under an appliance. The system requires access from each side of the appliance to place the straps under the appliance from the side.
The present invention requires only one strap which can be easily slid under an appliance from front to back or side to side. A relatively wide tension buckle is suspended from each worker via a pair of carabiners. Each tension buckle supports an end of a relatively wide, flat, web type strap. That strap can support any load that several workers could lift. Several works can connect their strap to a central ring for lifting heavy loads. The harness allows full arm movement and provides an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d pattern across the worker""s back to evenly distribute the load and prevent a strap from slipping off a shoulder.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a two-worker shoulder harness-based lifting apparatus that supports a single strap between the workers.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a tension adjustment buckle for each shoulder harness to enable the worker to cinch up his strap end as desired.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a three or more worker system having a central ring to combine the straps of each worker.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a one-worker configuration using a large loop-type strap to carry a mattress or the like against either hip.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
The present invention uses an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d style pattern of straps across the worker""s back. The top and bottom ends of each side of the xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d form a loop in front which carries a support buckle. Each left and right support buckle carries a carabiner. Between the carabiners is a wide (about six-inch) tension buckle which adjustably supports a wide webbed strap end. The harness has a cross-chest adjustment strap to snug the shoulder straps inward.
In operation, the single flat strap is placed under the load. Each worker adjusts a single tension buckle in preparation to lift. During the lift and carry process, each worker""s arms are free to steady the load.